Hanseti
The Realm of Hanseti is a former Human nation of Aegis, Asulon and Anthos. It was originally created after the Phoenix Revolution when Oren split into two nations. It became a part of the Holy Oren Empire in Asulon and was temporarily lost in Anthos. Hanseti returned briefly in the islands during the migration to Athera, settling as an independant nation apart from the Third Oren Empire at the time in the North-West of the mainland. However, after the announced retire of the Teutonic Order, the remaining leadership in Hanseti opted to become downgraded into a duchy before finally being abandoned prior to the Undead invasion of the former lands of the Teutonic Order. Ancient History In the times of Horen's waking and slumber, in the times in which the Human Ancestor had walked upon Aegis and laughed and played with his three other companion-brothers, in the times in which Aegis's inhabitants were but four and shared fairly the bounties of the World, but that they found mates and propagated the World; mankind was flourishing in the beginning in tranquility. Nonetheless, all was not what it seemed in the years to follow, certain places appeased the Humans as they founded their first villages and towns; simple homes to shield the fragile human from the elements of the world. The very meadows and riverbanks to draw the most important of needs, water, were not as plentiful as it may have seemed. The Histories spoke as if the world was perfect to all, fair and bountiful to each and every individual, but one can simply look past the records of merriment and view in stark reality that all was not as it seemed. Horen's children once again did what they always sought to do, they propagated and raised families, and these families founded their own and populated more and more. Unfortunately, there were only so many feasible and appraised regions to inhabit to consolidate the success of their blooming families, villages, and towns. Soon, man began to act aggressively towards his own kind to vie for such lush lands, to see that their own has the best of chances to survive and build upon what they had started. Due to said aggression, violent measures were taken and people had been felled to advance the interests of the attackers to gain the greater lands for their own. One such tribe, the Hanseti had sought the assistance of the Wandering Wizard to allow them a chance to find a land in which they would be persecuted to inhabit. At the time of the request, the four Companion-brothers were engaged in defending against Iblees, a fickle and sinister being. Taking into account the fact that some of the current descendents of Horen had been aggressive and would paint Horen as being a hypocrite for fighting Iblees despite his own kind being warlike, the Wandering Wizard would open what was called the Verge for the Hanseti. Upon the arrival to unknown lands of the Verge, the Hanseti would begin to observe their surroundings. The varied archipelagos would force the Hanseti to form naval tendencies and progress the shipwright they would commit to to allow them easier traversing of the waterways in between the islands. Producing galley-like structures to ship men and women across the seas would soon after produce one of the most startling discoveries; the continent of Asulon… Upon arriving to this much larger swath of land, the Hanseti tribe had begun to spread alongside the shores to find a more feasible area to anchor as they had encountered sheer cliffs at first. Finding shorelines at last, the Hanseti had anchored and after a few days erecting temporary camps, the males had sent themselves out to discover the various features that had come into view upon climbing the sheer cliffs they first encountered. As the Hanseti tribe began to secure their foothold in the mixed environment, between a more fertile land separated from the harsh colds of the Trinskiril arctic. Inevitably as families grew and divided, the Hanseti had once again realized what that they were nearing a repeat of what had happened with the descendants of Horen, that they were competing for space in what little fertile land they held so dearly. Reaching agreements for the numerous families to begin splitting, in hopes to seek newer lands that would beckon them with it's bounty to sustain; husbands and widows begun stepping forth from the village and sought to travel the continent. Unfortunately, the people who had walked forth were not to return with glad tidings in the number that had originally left. Out of the approximately eight families that had left, only three were to remain alive. One of them would form the Subudai, a nomadic group of clans that had served initially to preserve the Hanseti as mobile defenders in the land of Trinskiril and defenders of the second family that would become the Dervas; a family that would would become useful in the ways of engineering and masonry. The third family would become the inheritors of half the population of the original Hanseti tribe and kept the name. Modern History The Realm of Hanseti was the product of many years of struggle. The old Human kingdom of Oren was slowly dying out due to several attacks lead by Undead forces. Many guilds and organizations were established, creating further problems by spreading the Human population out thin and breeding intense rivalries with each other. The Teutonic Order was created to combat the rising degradation of the nation of Oren, but as more and more areas fell to the Undead, so did those whom lived in Al'Khazar. After several years of annihilating the detrimental guilds, the Order turned its attention towards Oren itself, launching a series of attacks on the capital city. Eventually King Enor Sheffield gave the crown of Oren to Gaius Marius, Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order. This decision was immediately disputed by the members of the Phoenix Revolution and they seized Galahar, the then capital of Oren. It was agreed that Oren would split in two, with Gaius Marius ruling the eastern Realm of Hanseti and Eze'kiel Tarus ruling the western Kingdom of Renatus. The capital city of Konigsberg experienced a massive growth in both size and population. The Order remained as an acting military for the nation, protecting it from wandering bandits and vengeful guilds of the past. The world west of Hanseti was experiencing a rapid invasion by Undead forces. Hanseti worked vigorously to aid in the repulsion of the Undead scourge but their efforts were often for loss as city after city was engulfed in necromantic magic. Renatus sparked up an extremely ill placed and detrimental war with Hanseti, asking for its complete destruction and disbandment of the Teutonic Order. Fresh from grieving over their founders death, Gaius Marius, Samuel Bealcrest was made Hochmeister of the Realm and was faced with the daunting task of maintaining the nation in the face of annihilation. Renatus proved to be a fierce and powerful enemy, enacting many guerrilla attacks on the Hanseti capital. Sariants such as Jack, Jorgen Reimer, Aleksis Grandaxe, Vanus and Syblix were among the many names of the Sariants that fought valiantly in defense of Hanseti during this period. But Renatus was quickly advancing on Hanseti's weakness and forwarded their attacks on the citizens. Eventually after a long string of military defeats, a coalition was formed between many of the nations in Aegis and Hanseti was delivered an ultimatum from Renatus. The fate of Hanseti rested on a single duel of champions from each nation. The king of Renatus Eze'kiel Tarus elected himself as the champion for Renatus and warrior not loyal to Hanseti volunteered. The terms put forth by Renatus detailed, if Renatus wins the dual Hanseti must disband and the Order must as well. However, if Hanseti wins, Renatus must withdraw their forces from the war and submit to tribute of goods. The whole operation was overseen by the Coalition, forcing the two nations to settle the war. The end result fell in Hanseti's favor as Tarus was stricken down a short number of blows. Hanseti had dodged a arrow with it's victory but their celebration was short lived as the Undead continued their deathly march over Aegis. Towards the final collapse of Aegis, Hanseti invested in a number of ships to be constructed at The Verge. The Hochmeister Bealcrest, got word that a number of nation leaders were constructing massive transport vessels and sensing trouble on the horizon, Sam ordered his men to do the same. In a number of meetings, the Hochmeister soon discovered the possible fate of Aegis. The Undead showed no signs of weakness and the combating force was quickly thinning out and in a last attempt to save Aegis all the nations committed champions to fight through the Nether in hope that they can end the looming darkness. Hanseti sent in three volunteers by the names of Abeam (Former Ascended), Maur Azog (Orcish warrior) and Segari (A human soldier). However, only Maur was able to escape the collapsing Nether with his life along with a number of other champions. Soon after, Hanseti rounded every citizen under their protection and loaded them onto a citizen transport boat. Leaving a few soldiers to guard the citizens, the Teutonic Order retreated to a war boat in preparation for a final battle. With minor obstacles the Hanseti boats were able to depart along with the others towards the new and mysterious lands of Asulon. Upon landing in the mass migration, Mirtok along with a fellow Sariant, Maur, raced down the the southern reaches of Asulon and claimed the snowy expanse at the bottom of the world as Hanseti. Soon after the rest of the Teutonic Order regrouped under a massive statue, plans were laid out for the formation of a city. The site for the capital city was simply named The Capital. The new land under Hanseti was home to massive stone structures of the past race that lived there. At the very mouth of the nation rested two full figure statues of men holding an ax and a sword with their palms outstretched. Further along a long natural path in a ravine, an enormous man holding a scepter can be seen sitting on throne just out front of the nation's capital. The two sites where the statues rested became the homes of The Maw and the capital. In the early years of immigration, Hanseti experienced a sudden change in weather. The normally crisp days in the snowy expanse turned bitter and fierce. In a personal account by an OrdernMarschall, Viader, he noted the possibility of an endless winter. Food production proved difficult as most crops perished at the force of the extreme cold. However, through long studies and selective planting, the nation was able to develop a cold resistant wheat but the resulting bread was tasteless and tough. The nation slowly progressed at the heart of The Capital. With Viader leading the nations formation, the concept of passports were enacted and enforced at The Maw. But, pre-collapse relationships began to rekindle as Hanseti's northern neighbors drew closer to their borders. On only the fifth year in Asulon, a war between Renatus and Hanseti broke out. The conflict drew in the attention of the Orcs whom offered to aid Hanseti. Two battles were held with a victory going to each side, but the war efforts eventually died down, returning the nations efforts inward to fight the new world's problems. For many years following the war, The Capital increased in size and occupants. A mine was established as well as farms, lumber yards, and even another town in the western snow arches near the Halflings. Massive mineral and lumber production quickly filled the nations vaults and plenty of weapons were distributed to the fighting force in Hanseti. But, despite the relentless efforts of Hanseti, food production was at an all time low. For a long period of time the nation relied on the aid of Salvus to feed their people in exchange for military training and guidance. Hochmeister Samuel and Viader drafted a great number projects in the nation to spark immigration from out of the borders. However, war was beginning to rear its ugly head in the direction of Hanseti once more. The Hochmeister looking for revenge decided to make use of the momentary uprising of Hansetian might. He soon declared war on Renatus with the full backing of Salvus, the Orcs, the Dwarves and Alras. Renatus lost two territories in the war, The Boot and Green Wall. Just before the war's conception, Hanseti had developed a new machine of war capable of hurling massive projectiles at siege locations, the catapult. With their new machine, the Coalition of nations made quick work of the fort in The Boot, and in Green Wall the forces starved out the defending soldiers. The Hochmeister had a full window to completely destroy the nation of Renatus, but instead decided upon forced reforms and the execution of Renatus political and military figures. Only one of which was fulfilled when King Godfrey ascended to the leadership of Renatus. The two tracts of land acquired in the war were absorbed by Renatus, and Hanseti retreated back behind it's borders in hope of a brighter future between the two brother nations. A few years after the war with Renatus, the nation once again fell upon hard times. Natural resources were depleted in the nation's warehouse and very few citizens remained in The Capital. Further degradation engulfed the realm at the assassination of Hochmeister Bealcrest. His death was shrouded in mystery and unexplainable details, but a once Oren spy turned Order member Kai claimed to have been named Hochmeister upon Bealcrest's death or resignation. However, only a year after his rise to Hochmeister, Kai turned power over to Mirtok. Mirtok was among the Order's very first members and a key founder of Hanseti along with Marius, Bealcrest, and Viader. After Gaius' death Mirtok was made OrdenMarschall of the Order along side Viader in leading the Order's troops. Mirtok relinquished internal control of the nation to Kai and his appointed officials whilst he opted to focus on external and Order affairs. Since the Order's arrival in Asulon, their ranks had suffered. Faced with several tough choices, Mirtok worked at returning the Order and eventually the nation towards its former glory back under Gaius' command. The Teutonic Order had reestablished themselves as a powerful force and in turn the nation. Hanseti had had a part in several battles, supporting both nations and settlements alike. The once enforced passport and immigration program had been decommissioned and several reforms have been made to the Hanseti government. A number of problematic political leaders in Hanseti have been removed and replaced, new Landmeisters have been appointed to each of the cities in the nation. The Teutonic Capital has seen a rapid progression in both buildings and material wealth. The future under Mirtok seemed to show signs of promise, but ever still, many things plagued his lands and his people. In the early days of the plague epidemic, Mirtok ordered the complete sealment and blockade of the nation to combat it. Under what he referred to as "Operation Black Curtain", phase two of the lockdown initiative was enacted and subsequently enacted by The Order. Mirtok also commissioned an Anti-Contagion mask to inhibit disease's spreading into his realm. As a result the Teutonic Anti-Contagion Filtration masks were developed and given the name TAC Masks. At first the Order was the only group in possession of the masks but after a diplomatic mission conducted by the Temple Monks, Hochmeister Mirtok relinquished the plans and every spare mask he had to the monks whom in turn distributed them to the peoples in Asulon. Hanseti and Renatus once again went to war following the acquisition of Seventis and Salvus by Renatus. This time the war did not go in the favor of Hanseti, and the nation surrendered to Renatus. Several groups came to the Hochmeister and offered shady deals to negotiate peace with a price, to which all were turned down by Mirtok. Towards the eve of Hanseti's surrender, Mirtok wrote a personal letter to King Godfrey of Renatus requesting private audience. The two met under the shadow of the sentinel statues that guard the mouth of Hanseti and discussed options. The eventual conclusion lead to Mirtok uttering, "I will die for this nation, but I will not let it die for me." and thus he yielded to Godfrey before the Renatian armies marched unto the North borders. Having reunited all Human lands Renatus renamed the new nation the Holy Oren Empire, turning Hanseti into a duchy that was placed under Mirtok to rule as the Duke. Since Hanseti's addition into the Oren Empire, the duchy had experienced a prosperous uplifting in many areas. Though the civilian populace remained at a rather low number, the production and military strength of the region nearly doubled. The monthly raids from the House Flay had ended, the traitor group- The Wolverines- executed and the Teutonic Order was allowed to fully control and operate all aspects of Hanseti with ample backing of the Empire. Several years after Hanseti was made a kingdom under the Oren Empire, a catastrophic event struck the lands. The Teutonic Order had been digging in the eastern peaks, looking for the main network of the Hansetian Underground. They had found a small sub-compound and recovered many important texts from the ancient people that inhabited the lands but upon leaving a cave occurred, releasing a highly toxic gas into the air. Several columns of the pinkish cloud rose into the air blotted out the sky for an entire year before dropping and cutting off Hanseti from the rest of the world. The Cloud settled in every valley and low laying area of Hanseti, leaving only the areas based on higher elevations slightly free from the toxin. Among those that survived were Wachter Stadt, Dresden and parts of Bavaria. The Teutonic Order has developed a method of traversing the encumbered lands but has yet to release said method for public use. It is was strongly advised that no right minded person attempt entering the Cloud ridden areas of the kingdom or try to run to the very few safe zones in the region. The Kingdom eventually recovered from this catastrophe with several years of research and development into the field of environmental cleanup processes. With much effort and a considerable loss of life, the massive columns of toxic cloud were cut and the substance that hung heavy in the Hansetian air was allowed to dissipate back into the deep earth or be carried away by the harsh ocean currents to the south of the region. It was also during this time that the Teutonic Order had been working towards a highly secretive and high interest project commissioned by the Holy Emperor himself. The project was very near completion when yet again, catastrophe hit and the whole of Asulon was forced onto ships and ferried away to unknown lands. Upon the arrival on uncharted islands, Hanseti- along with the other Kingdoms and Nations of Asulon- found itself without land or resource. The peoples of Asulon scrambled competitively to claim their own corners of the island, with Hanseti settling close to the main Oren settlement. It was at this time the Hochmeister, Mirtok DeNurem, stepped down momentarily and appointed Dain FarHammer as both leader of the Kingdom and of the Teutonic Order. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the world around Hanseti turned against it when under the poor guidance of the leader of the former Blackmonts and current Flays on Dain, caused the Kingdom to pick up their slack and face the full brunt of a combined force; rendering all of Hanseti's lands decimated, resources plundered and military broken. This trend continued on to the point where the main consensus was that the Teutonic Order had perished once and for all. Hochmeister Dain was executed and the remaining Sariants looked back to their roots and assumed a top secret operation while Mirtok DeNurem was absent. However, it was not until a second migration and then finally the call to go ahead of the peoples of Oren and scout the new world of what is now called Anthos, did the Order as well as the Kingdom of Hanseti finally pick itself up. The Order quickly moved northward and discovered a hub of mutinous and dangerous activity; with vicious boarmen and massive dragons threatening the advancing Asulonians, the Order set up at what is not called North Gate and Castle Greywynn. When it was time that the rest of the Empire landed, the Order held back the hordes to allow the rapid progression of the Empire to happen. But due to their focus being on the North, and their leader Mirtok still being absent, the lands thought promised to Hanseti were slowly chipped away by a number of factions, including the lifelong enemy, House Blackmonts and their lackeys, House Carrion. During the early years of the new world, the Order stuck to themselves and did their duty to the rest of the people by standing by at the mouth of the North. The Order built up a massive wealth for the Kingdom through long hours of hard work and countless toils; Allowing for the explosion of activity and progression upon the return of Hochmeister Mirtok. The bulk of the Kingdom's lands were rightfully returned to Hanseti, but there still stood the looming problem of the Kingdom's southern borders. The presence of the Blackmonts and Carrions working in full conjunction eventually began attacking, robbing, murdering and thieving many Sairants of the Order and even the coffers of the Kingdom itself. It was this that prompted the Hochmeister to issue terms of vassalage or migration for the troublesome houses. The initial terms were accepted but then later denied. A final proposition was submitted to both the Blackmonts and the Carrions, both of which denied them. This act marked a turning point in the Kingdom's attitude towards the situation, painting a clear picture that nothing could be done. With the silence from the Imperial Crown, Hanseti had to take matters in its own hands; Sariants retaliated once the rules of engagement were met in singular situations- they hit first, Sariants respond. With the passing of a lowered crown authority brought to fruition by the pressure emplaced by the Blackmont, Carrion and Chivay collective; War finally broke out between the Kingdom of Hanseti and House Blackmont, even though the war was never officially declared in public. Since then, the Kingdom of Hanseti has been locked in a heated and bloody war with the enemy House Blackmonts and its vassals and allies. In the beginning, the Order secured several victories one after another, which lead up to a certain battle that was to take place near the Carrion settlement. However, the Teutonic Order forces were overwhelmed when a combined force of Blackmont, Carrion and Chivay banner met them on the field. The battle was a crushing defeat and resulted in an immense blow to the Kingdom's forces, supplies and moral. However, the defeat also stirred something else in the Hochmeister, and in turn the rest of the Teutonic Order. It signified that there once again existed a mission, a true and deep down purpose, and even a duty to the Empire. The Teutonic Order was to crush the Blackmont forces and their vassals, and break up this pressure force that appeared to have the Crown by the throat. Hanseti quickly regained it strength and even grew stronger. Resource productions were doubled, training sessions were increased and slowly Hanseti grew stronger all around with the addition of allies committed to the same cause. Another offensive was launched on the Blackmonts, this time in the bloodied lands between the two forts, Castle Greywnn and the Dreadfort. It was on that field that the Blackmonts met a force almost double their own, each man bearing a Black Cross on his chest and wielding a sword of fine steel. The Order slaughtered and routed the Blackmont forces, securing a much needed victory and swinging the scale of war back in their favor. The event stirred an uproar of moral in every soldier and citizen of the Kingdom; the victory too rose the moral of the other factions committed to the cause. But the fortunes of war fell flat, and the Kingdom saw a string of defeats that brought it to its knees. Their leader, Hochmeister Mirtok, had disappeared into the North with only a handful of men, vowing to return one day with something to aid in their fight. He left a Kingdom and Order on the brink of a battle that would surely define the outcome of the war at hand, determine the future of the Kingdom and even the Empire as a whole. Upon the day of the true battle for the Dreadfort, men fought tooth and nail, sword and arrow, but in the end the Dreadfort still stood on crumbled foundations and its occupants were able to recover- marking the turning point of the civil war in favor of the Blackmonts. The months ticked forward and Hanseti saw no end to the string of stalemates and defeats on the war campaign. Those whom Mirtok had trusted to uphold the strength and sovereignty of the Order were silenced by the ascension of Jonathan Black, the first member to assume an unorthodox reign over of the nation. The men of the Order had been warned of the possible events that would occur if a new leader were chosen so hastily, but the situation proved too dire to proceed in any other way. The civil war came to a close with the dissolution of the Teutonic Order and reinstatement as a domestic force under the Holy Oren Empire, the settling of Hansetian lands and the increase of holding and freedom given to the forces that had truly defeated the Kingdom. The very essence of the war was made vain via these acts of the Oren government and the new crowned Hochmeister, a truly dark era for both the Nation and the Order. After the dust and debris of war settled, Hanseti slowly declined into a state of stagnation and weakness. Though Jonathan Black tried to breath a new purpose into the Order, it was evident that the current state of things were just too broken and overwhelming. The fight seemed stolen from its citizens and soldiers, their purpose in a state of shock with the sudden turn of events. Domestication had taken its toll on the defeated Order, giving way to what would become a time of decline for the Order. However, all this paled in comparison to the night Castle Greywynn- the jewel and arch stone of both a Nation and military Order- was engulfed in mysterious flame. The powerful stone walls and fierce foundations that could have withstood any siege for years cracked and crumbled as fire consumed it. Those trapped inside were reduced to ashes, among the charred bodies was allegedly Hochmeister Jonathan Black. The Kingdom was once again leaderless, however, now it was truly broken with the destruction of its very heart. Hanseti had fallen the farthest it had ever before, a once titan among titans in an nearly unstoppable Empire had finally been silenced. The Kingdom of Hanseti was eventually replaced by new nations with new leaders, hoping to carve out a legacy in a declining Empire. The Teutonic Order was once again headed by a self appointed leader- Falsemeister- and directed down a path of utter dishonor and darkness, before disappearing altogether without even so much as a whimper. A state that continued for many years to come, decades even. After many years of silence, the rest of the world only spoke of the fabled Teutonic Order in history books and personal longheld gripes. The nation of Hanseti had withered and the Hansetian people had scattered among the Heartlanders, assimilating into the general populace. The infrastructure and banner of the first Empire had left the world behind in search of its own. In its stead the young Houses that failed to follow suit ascended to power and formed their own Empire of their own age. Tensions grew between this new Human Empire and the nations of the world, prompting an old figure to return from lands unknown. A coalition of nations banded together against this Empire, man battles were fought and eventually it was weakened to a state that allowed the old nation of Hanseti to gain a foothold. Though the emergence of Hanseti wasn't without its hiccups. The Elven nation which at the time was headed by Darius DeNurem had recognized its existence and sovereignty alongside the Orcish Rex, Erik Azog. But, fearing a DeNurem takeover of the Elven nation, the Elven leadership rejected the declaration. Darius DeNurem promptly resigned from his position and joined the formation of Hanseti, leaving the Elven nation to forge their own path. The Orcish nations maintained their declaration even after the removal of Erik Azog as Rex. The Teutonic Order also saw a comeback during this time, at first acting in privacy and away from the public eye before emerging every so often to give aid to established allies of Hanseti. Mirtok DeNurem once again took the role of Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order and of the Nation of Hanseti which at the time went under the calling of The Sovereign of Hanseti. With the primary focus on social and civilian development, Hanseti grew at a slow but steady pace. Acquiring a sizable civilian populating that had not been seen since the era under Hochmeister Samual Bealcrest in Asulon's Hanseti. Tucked away behind a towering mountain as well as marshy deadlands, Hanseti enjoyed near total seclusion from the outside powers for many years. But tensions too flared again, prompting the formation of what would be known as The Bloc- A coalition of several nations and city states against the Human Empire but with the addition of the Teutonic Order as a major power. The Bloc war was fiercely fought in the Imperially established lands, hardly ever making it's way to Hanseti. The men and women of the Teutonic Order were deployed to the war torn battle grounds and were often the primary commanders of warfront operations during the Bloc war. Hochmeister Mirtok had advocated for the destruction of the Imperial concept and sought to return Humanity to a status of cooperative Kingdoms with heavy emphasis on independence and sovereignty. However, come the conclusion of the war, Chivay forces from the First Imperium lands of Aeldin rapidly deployed and arrested control of the crumbling Empire. After the takeover by House Chivay, Hanseti and the Teutonic Order drew down their combative efforts and returned to their own business, satisfied with the independence they were able to secure for themselves. However, old enemies that were now acting under the protection of the newly formed Empire of Chivay proceeded to commit banditry and upscale pressure on the nation. Hochmeister Mirtok had pushed for the absorption or at the very least an alliance between Hanseti and the Empire but political resistance proved too much and such was never agreed upon. However, large scale warfare was stifled for the most part for the rest of the races times of the migration islands. Even into the touchdown in Athera, the super power Empire and Hanseti refrained from engaging in all out war. However, the new world did not mean it wasn't without its problems. Certain Imperial commanders had expressed great interest in conquering Hanseti and destroying the Teutonic Order once and for all, adding to increased tensions. Eventually escalating to a point of almost all out declaration of war, with Hanseti fielding a large military force augmented with even more allied Highlanders residing in the region of North Haven. With the coup on the Chivay Emperor and the reinstatement of a Crow Emperor on the mantle of the Human Empire, it seemed that Humanity was doomed to be locked in a brutal civil war, with each side promising total destruction upon one another. The Teutonic Order was fully prepared to face this challenge and even reinstate Chivay as Imperial leaders once more but they refused and resided themselves to assume a more political approach instead- shunning the massive military force ready to fight in their name. It was discussed among the leadership of the Teutonic Order and the then Realm of Hanseti what would be done, what could be. The Hochmeister had hoped for a North for Northerners but the Heartlanders wanted to conquer and destroy all those who would not assimilate. A war between the Northern alliances and the Empire would have resulted in stalemate after stalemate, with any ground being won by either side being lost the very next instance. Taking into account the daunting and mutual destructive war and adding in internal stress inside the Teutonic Order, Hochmeister Mirto DeNurem decided that it was time to retire the Order's name as was planned after the establishment of Hanseti in the new world. The Hochmeister had felt that he had achieved the goals he set out for when he returned from the harsh lands of The North in Anthos, to rebuild the name of the Teutonic Order and to give Hanseti a chance- whether or not its people were willing to take that chance was up to them. Mirtok DeNurem disbanded the Teutonic Order, splitting up the military order's resources between individual members, the Azog Clan and the Rovins of Aesterwald to aid them in the potential war with the Empire. Mirtok was last seen by a fellow Sariant Medic in the Northern Forge that has since been corrupted by Undead. A mysterious figure had appeared before them and ushered Mirtok away speaking that his time had come. Nothing had been seen or heard from the Hochmeister since and the Teutonic Order had been laid to rest for the last time- whether at a high point or a low one, it was over. The leadership of Hanseti was taken up by ex-Sariants of the Teutonic Order, maintaining a smaller population in the North-Western lands. The nation was eventually changed into a duchy under Aesterwald and was finnaly destroyed by the Undead when the dark forces erected a massive tower over Grey Wall Keep, renaming it Ash Castle. Surviving Hansetians moved East to Asterwald while others scattered once more among the Heartlanders. Bringing the end of the nation that had existed since Aegis, forged by the first Hochmeister Gaius Marius. The civilian legacy of the Teutonic Order now only exists in scattered ruins and lines in history books, alongside the Order itself. Geography **In Aegis** King Enor Sheffield of Oren sensed that opposition was rising to his rule, and handed the crown to the Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order, Gaius Marius. This decision was disputed by the members of the Phoenix Revolution, who had been planning to depose King Enor. Negotiations between the head of the revolutionaries Eze'kiel Tarus and Marius resulted in the kingdom of Oren being split and ruled by a biumvirate, with Marius in charge of the Realm of Hanseti and Tarus in charge of the Kingdom of Renatus. While Renatus remained close to the center of the human populace, Hanseti ruled over the far east reaches of Old Oren. The long trip through forest, desert, and mountains provided a less than enjoyable journey to the capital city of Hanseti. The capital itself was founded atop a plateau, with the core hollowed out and re-purposed into an underground market and housing central. A large expanse of ocean too was located year the Capital city of Konigsburg, offering an express route to the main Aegis populace. In Asulon The survivors of Iblees wrath from Hanseti moved into the snowy southern reaches of Asulon. Upon landing in the mass migration, Mirtok along with a fellow Sariant, Maur, raced down the the southern reaches of Asulon and claimed the snowy expanse at the bottom of the world as Hanseti. Soon after the rest of the Teutonic Order regrouped under a massive statue, plans were laid out for the formation of a city. The site for the capital city was simply named The Capital. The northern border of Hanseti was protected by towering mountains and cliffs with a few choke points between the mountains, as well as a series of structures built along the mountain ridges such as the antiquated walls of the Wolverines and Rekshanal- a tower complex owned by Aleksis Grandaxe who was an impromptu Landmeister at the time. Hanseti was the only nation entirely consisted of a blizzard landscape, creating both problems and benefits for the residents of the area. Hanseti's neighbors consisted of Renatus just north of the borders, Salvus further along the Human road, and the Dwarves slightly off to the north-west. A few years after the Sariant Mirtok ascended to Hochmeister, the capital was renamed to Dresden. After a mishap in Teutonic Order excavation, a Pink Cloud was released into the air. Several columns of the toxic gas rose into the air and after about a year, dropped, occupying the lower surfaces of the region. The last remaining safe areas in Hanseti were Wachter Stadt, Dresden and a small portion of Bavaria. Eventually the men of the Teutonic Order were able to control and eventually end the presence of the gas, freeing the nation from its isolating grip. In Anthos After the migration to the world of Anthos, the men of the Teutonic Order lead the peoples of Hanseti to their new home on the Northern most habitable part of the new world. The jewel of the nation of the Order, Castle Greywynn stood as the guardian of Anthos from the evil forces that lurked beyond the great Northern Ice Wall. The lands occupied by Hanseti were split between towering snowy mountains and lush green fields fit to build a powerful nation upon. There existed a massive river spawned from snow melt and a following lake from which the water branched out into further water ways. Expansive forests with trees reaching heights to rival that of the Elven city littered the lands of Hanseti. The whole holdings were encased by sets of mountains and steep hills. However, despite this fortunate holding, the nation was only ever to develop the lands directly around Castle Greywynn and with the coming of the Civil War, all hope for a successful Hansetian city were lost int he tides of war. Castle Greywynn eventually fell to the madness of a power hungry and traitorous member of the Teutonic Order. Eventually, the lands that were previously Hansetian found new masters under the names of new kingdoms, scattering the Hanseti people throughout the Empire and the world. Culture Physical Traits Burly, hardy and resilient people; Fair skinned with darker colored hair, most commonly found with grey or green eye color. Hansetians are very much like the Aegis Northerners as the Kingdom’s first inhabitants hailed from the North most reaches of the known world. Hansetian males are bulky in mass and tall by nature, peaking at around 6 feet 3 inches; While females do not reach such size, peaking at about 5 feet 10 inches and have a more slender physique in comparison. Their physical traits make them very adaptable in cold or winter climates and regions. Characteristics and Traits Hansetians love to engage in battle but too enjoy the simplest parts of life. Always seeking a challenge, most enlist in the military in order to curb their overwhelming sense of destiny among the ranks of their country. Hansetians tend to flock towards taverns situated in their community and engage in merriment and drinking. Their large mass allows them to handle quite a bit more ale than their older human counterparts, Renatians and Salvians. They have a taste for food, however their bread is relatively tasteless and tough by comparison in other Human cultures. Mostly consuming meats and starches, their diet is nearly perfect for a soldier. Due to the cold climates Hansetians endure, you can find a normal citizen wearing thicker set clothing, adorned with fur and several leather straps with bright brass buckles. It can be said that Hansetians do not have such a fixation on fine clothes but their garbs are often very comfortable and perfect for their environment. Members of the military class are subjects to standardized military uniforms. Most however can be found gently warming themselves by a roaring fire, talking with neighbors and enjoying a pint. Most Hansetians are cheery by nature and consider it very normal to greet strangers of all sorts. They are not religiously devout nor overly zealous towards causes outside of their own Kingdom’s government of which they are nationalistic towards. They are born with a sense for either one of two things, battle or labor. Their military is very strong and their labor force is among the most capable in all of the Human Kingdoms. And even though they have access to the spoils of intellectualism, their focus always remains close to work and war. However, the newly risen Sovereign Hanseti has since made steps at altering the normal behavior of its people, though only subtly, drawing back the intense focus of war and instead taking a more civic approach. Language Marian; A combination of the ancient Hansetian Language introduced by the founder and first King Gaius Marius and a Nordic dialect brought in by the absorbed nordic armies during the fights for Oren in Aegis. Common; The most commonly used language of humans (hence the name) spawned from countless years of usage and adaptation. Though some other forms of common exist such as the high language of Oren Imperials, Hansetians are impartial to the class system and instead choose to speak a middle ground of the common spectrum. In the case of a few Hansetians, accents from Marian find their way into conversations spoken in common. Culture Due to their hereditary bulk and size, Hansetians are more prone towards soldier type roles or at the very least labor intensive work such as lumberjacking and mining. They have an extreme respect for soldiers of their realm but too value other aspects of life. Among the many characteristics of man, Hansetians value the traits of Honor, Justice, Chivalry, Strength and Loyalty above all; However the intrigue of intellectualism is no stranger to the Hansetian people as incredible feats of war engineering have spawned from the Realm as well as several other sects of engineering development. Besides their pride in their military forces spawned from their foundations as a country, Hansetian citizens congregate in taverns or other social gathering locations and engage in merriment and drinking. The tavern is often a centerpiece for Hansetian communities and is normally an effective outlet for stories and news that is relevant to their lives. Hansetians love their country and are all nationalistic to some extent. Hansetians used to be very keen in the art of shipbuilding and sailing, however, they have since strayed away from this skill and instead have become more focused on land based activities. During the times of Asulon, the people bred and kept the large and powerful Hansetian War Horse. Though this breed has war horse in its name, their usage expands to suit every need of the Hansetians in that they are capable incline navigators, effective labor or transport vessels and of course are an incredible feat on the fields of battle as their massive form gallops across the field. The Hansetian economy is primarily military drawn and government controlled leading towards the majority of the economic prospects being little to none for the progressionary economist. Goods are not normally exported and it is even rarer for the Importing of goods to occur. The primary focus of the Realm is on military prosperity and defensive capabilities, thus most of the labor force is focused on mining ventures and foresting work. Hansetians enjoy their government system of donating their gained resources to the central government and receiving the product of the peoples labor as needed. They are not inherently greedy by nature and often times do not have much of an interest in excessive material gains. Hansetians adopt a rather unique form of architecture for both the civilian populace as well as government structures. The primary materials of choice are stone and wood, with Redwood being the material of choice from floors, to chairs, to the entire frame of a household. Hansetians normally live in a redwood dominated area and even detest the use of oak logs in their homes. The center of Hansetian homes revolves around the fireplace and the ‘main-hall.’ The main hall normally takes up the majority of the first floor and serves as an all purpose space from living to workspaces. Government or military controlled structures are most primarily constructed with stone and stone bricks. Often times being very tall and very thick as to maximize defensive capabilities but too sacrificing a sense of architectural cosmetics. Round structures are rare and the style often times does not make use of towers. However, despite their defense oriented style, architectural works posses their own form of beauty in on themselves with large struts and the very highly regarded glowstone light. Government The Sovereign Hanseti government normally is consisted of high ranking members of the military or significant figures appointed to specific functions by the Hochmeister or the Regent. The royal family associated with such do not normally act as any special sort of power unless designated by the Hochmeister or Regent, even still, the royal family is an entity that calls for great respect by both Sovereign Hansetis militaries and civilians. The Hochmeister and the Regent of Hanseti work together in the progression of the Nation, but do so as separate entities. The Teutonic Order is not a direct partition of the Nation, but its own force that is paired with the Nation. The culture of the Hansetian people dictate a traditionally military run government. Military The primary military force used in the defense and pursuit of Sovereign Hansetian interest is given to the fabled Teutonic Order. All citizens of Hanseti have the opportunity to serve in the Teutonic Order. However, individual settlements may create temporary or under certain circumstances a semi-permanent militia only to be used as a defensive component in times of need where otherwise the Order cannot respond. Professional militaries other than the Teutonic Order are normally discouraged from taking residence inside Sovereign Hanseti. The Teutonic Order is not a direct partition of Sovereign Hanseti and is considered a separate entity. The Hochmeister must work alongside the Regent for the betterment of the nation. This allows for a sort of checks and balance where one side can have a difficult time at ousting the other in certain situations. Especially when dealing with war and conflict, the actions of the Order should not be considered the actions of the Nation and vice versa. To continue, foreign powers would have to win over the support of both the leader of the people and the leader of the military if they wish to truly win over the support of Sovereign Hanseti. Classification Sovereign Hanseti is a military based Human nation that shys away from the traditional human form of organization that is feudalistic or Imperial. It is a government that is dominated by the military and a people that is military focused. It is a nation less concerned with coin, like Alras, and more concerned with the loyalty, camaraderie and justice associated with its warriors. It is a nation where the people and the government serve each other instead of a one way transaction. In this new age of Hanseti, it is a nation that does not desire expansion or domination but instead to aid and support- to build a haven for the Hansetian people and become a beacon of something that is like no other Human nation. It hails from a very long and rich history, being a major player in the balance of power throughout the world and later on throughout an Empire. Its peoples have experienced much since its foundations all the way back in the first lands of Aegis, it has existed and gone through Golden Ages and Dark Ages in each of the major lands the races of this world have traveled to. It is something that is integral to the Human history as a whole and it is now something that would like to continue its role as an innovator of a new way of life. Notable Figures *Gaius Marius - Former and First Hochmeister. *Samuel Bealcrest - Former and Second Hochmeister. *Jack - Former Regent Hochmeister after Sam's Death *Mirtok DeNurem - Former and Third and Final Hochmeister *Dain Farhammer - Former and Fourth Hochmeister *Jonathan Black - Former and Fifth Hochmeister *~Forgotten Name~ - Former and Sixth Hochmeister